Mujaki na Youkai
by Ko-chan to Ya-chan
Summary: There are two swords of legend- one brings life, the other, death. After withstanding the tests of time, they come into the hands of new victims... The Hiwataris and the Kinomiyas. Future Tyka shonen ai CHPT 5 UP!
1. Satsujinken, Katsujinken

K: Konbanwa!! ^_^ I was reflecting on the storyline of chapter 2 of "Kirei na Tanin" and couldn't help but write this. This is my second historically-based fic, and I hope you like it! ^_^ Dun worry- it won't be as sad as "Gokigen'yo Manzanaru"… At least, I don't plan to, yet… More like an adventure…. ^_~ And perhaps a hint of Tyka on the side? *laughs* You know how I am about that… ^_^;

Y: *coughs and points to Ko's shirt which clearly reads 'Got Yaoi?'* ; Um…. Yeah….

K: *keeps smiling- completely oblivious* ^_______^

**Disclaimer:**

Lawman-yer, I swears to own it I dun Ra! (*winces* _RA_, that's a lame parody of the occiffer joke…. --; trans: Lawyer-man, I swear to Ra I dun own it!)

**Dedications:**

- Weeping Angel

- PinkDevil

- Ran

- Kuro (CONTINUE THOSE FICS!!!)

- Darkspider (*glomps Max Plushie you gave me* Arigato!! ^_^)

- Tsunami Wave

- Escuro de la Lus

- Kawaii-kirei

- Rumi-chan

- Japime Gurl

- NT aka Aku-chan

- Jewel

- Seth

- Asa-chan

And, of course:

- Kyoto Project

(Love you guys!! ^_^ Thanks so much for all your support!! ^_^)

Mujaki na Youkai 

**Innocent Demon**

Rune I: Satsujinken Katsujinken 

"Satsujinken….Katsujinken…"

      This phrase has echoed Japanese legend for hundreds of years. It tells the story of life and death, and two swords that were to give each respectively. "The sword that kills, and the sword that gives life." It is said that such swords would be born at the hands of two men- one blessed, one cursed- and that only those pure of soul could wield them. 

Masamune, the blessed, gave rise to the sword of life- also named Masamune in his honor. This sword was never used to needlessly shed blood, but to save the lives of the innocent. Masamune taught his pupils of his views, and of the true nature of a sword; a way of life he believed with his very being.

      One student, however, did _not_ find his views to be the truth. A man named Muramasa could not see how a weapon could be used in a way that didn't involve bloodshed. On his own, he accidentally forged the second sword of legend- the Murasame, when trying to replicate the Masamune.

      Both men continued their styles of sword-making; Masamune's pure, Muramasa's tainted by a constant bloodlust. In the end, both died, taking the secrets of their own original styles with them- never knowing what future lay ahead for what few weapons of theirs survived the tests of time. One by one, their swords became lost, until finally, only the Masamune and Murasame remained.

      Yet those, too, disappeared from all knowledge. Found by various wanderers, they brought great fame to those who used them- fame from saving life, or fame from bringing death. Their charges never knew the truth behind their glory, yet whenever one impure would come upon either sword, the possessor faced great misfortunes.

      Through the ages, man progressed, and soon, there was no need for mortal weapons of the past. New weapons replaced the old, and the swords of legend were passed to new hands- one rooted within an antique dealership, and the other set on display at an auction. People had appraised the one at auction as a work of Muramasa, and many sellers fawned over such a rare and priceless artifact. However, no one took interest in Masamune's work, which had been cast into the shadows of the dusty shop.

      Both were bought by different families- Muramasa's by the wealthy Hiwatari zaibatsu, and the other by a middle-class ancestors of the Kinomiyas. The swords were passed down from generation to generation; each teaching the art of swordplay to the eldest heir to the family name. They both prided themselves in their techniques, and always kept their teachings strictly within the bloodline.

      But there was one thing they didn't know. One thing everyone had somehow overlooked….

      ………..The Masamune and Murasame had been switched.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

K: *rereads what she's typed and frowns* Why am I suddenly getting flashbacks of the prelude to LOTR? --;

Y: *reads over chapter and nods* Well, it _is_ kind of the same concept with the 'passing through the ages' thing, but other than that, nothing else really sounds like LOTR….

K: *sighs* If you say so… *turns to readers* Well, I'm done with the boring-ass background chapter! ^_~ Next time, you'll get to see a few familiar faces, k?

*sighs wistfully* Ya know- I'm surprised no one else has done this. I mean, no one really ever mentions Takao's kendo training, or the family sword that Dragoon came out of. I think it's about time someone shed some light on that aspect, don't you? ^_~

Well, time to post this! ^_^ I hope you guys all like this new twist… I actually have a plot to this story, so I'm sure I'll continue sooner or later. In fact, I'm gonna sit and write down every step of this fic as soon as I post so I won't forget! ^_^;

Oh no! I think I'm forgetting already! ; Must… type…. faster…!!! Ja ne!!


	2. Otanjobi na Okurimono

K: Hey peeps! Well, I must say- I am THOUROUGHLY surprised at how many reviews I got in just one day for this story! ^^; I just hope it lives up to all your guys' expectations… 

Oh- BTW, I already have the whole story planned out, just like I said I would. Turns out, the outline's 3 pages, front AND back, and there's a total of 16 chapters. Of course, the ending bit is a little rushed, so I'll probably go back and rework that when it's time for it…. All in all, I'm pretty happy with it, though the title doesn't really fit anymore, aside from the fact the Kinomiyas have Murasame, the satsujinken… ; 

I absolutely ADORE the Tyka scenes I put in there, too. _Especially_ the one from chapter 14… *sighs wistfully* Demo demo, you'll just have to wait. ^_~ Oh- and dun worry, their relationship is ANYTHING but rushed- the beginning hints of Tyka aren't until chapter 10! ^_^; Well, enough spoilers- I dun wanna give everything away just yet. Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Ever notice how a few modern novels mention things the authors don't own the rights to? This is kinda like that…. (To name a few- Don't Close Your Eyes by Robert Ross, and The Floating Girl by Sujata Massey…. Both mention anime titles. The second one was good, but I just started reading DCYE…)

**Dedications:**

- Ran

- Mao-worshipper (yeah, I'm not really fond of those either, but some more than make up for it with the plot! ^_~)

- Little Leila (Is that little green monster bothering you at all, now? ^_^ That's right- it's dedicated to you, now, too!)

- Asa-chan (Actually, this really _is_ Tyka! ^_^ Takao acts more like a seme than Kai does…)

- Dynasty San (Sugoi! ^_^ You'd really do that?! Arigato!! [Jus' dun mention any of my _actual_ physical characteristics, k? Not even hair color… I'm paranoid about the Internet… ^^;] Sure, Ya-chan and I could help Jou-tachi out with the paintball cannon, if you want us to… Just keep in mind we'd be trying to play yaoi matchmaker the whole time. ^_~ Seto/Jou! Yami/Yuugi! Malik/Ahmose! Nahkti/Ryou! ^_^ [dun tell Danielle I said that- she'll kill me.. --;] Oh- and BTW, the guys in the cage are KISS, right? I read your reviews for that fic, and that's what most people put…. ^^;)

- Kiina (Gyaa! Another stalker with a death threat!! *hides behind desk* You'll never find me- NEVER! *cackles insanely* Y: --; Great- aibou's a schitzo…)

- Darkspider (*hugs you* Thanks for Draciel! ^_^ *puts plushie next to the Max one*)

- Jyun (^__________^ I COMPLETELY agree! Tyka ROXXORS!! XD)

And uh….. the 2 other people whose reviews haven't registered yet. ^^; Sorry about that! I'll catch you next time, k?

Mujaki na Youkai Rune II: Otanjobi na Okuri-Mono 

**Birthday Present**

      Kinomiya Oji-sama smirked slightly as he crept toward his sleeping grandson, intent on scaring the living shit out of him once he woke up. After all, tis' a family tradition for one to be roused this way on the day of their 'coming of age'. He himself had undergone it ages ago, though he'd never admit the exact number of years. All men had _some_ secret- this was just his.

      His eyes shining in mischief, he carefully drew the blade from its sheath, letting the cool metal rest upon Takao's soft cheek. The boy winced in his sleep as it came into contact- the thing felt like ice! Scowling unconsciously, the bluenette rolled away to the other side of the bed- out of his grandfather's reach at the moment.

      Annoyed that his plan didn't work, and that the tradition was virtually shot to hell at this point, the old man huffed and proceeded to prod his lazy grandson with the blade's casing. After a particularly sharp jab to the nose, Takao flopped over and blinked his eyes blearily. Yawning, the boy rubbed his eyes and upon opening them, found himself face-to-face with the glinting point of a katana.

      His eyes widened as it suddenly recoiled and came down in a swift arc- aiming straight for him. Rolling out of the way, he managed to dodge it, but ended up on the floor, staring up at his grinning grandpa. The aged man brought the sword to his right shoulder, letting it rest there against the blunt edge.

      Takao pouted. "WHAT ON EARTH WAS THAT FOR?! YOU NEARLY _KILLED_ ME!!"

      The elder Kinomiya just smiled wider and wagged a finger at him. "Now, now- You've been training since you were 5! You should have at _least_ soaked up enough so that you'd be able to dodge that easily, little dude! Besides- who am I to break tradition?"

      The blunette just stared at him in disbelief- what the _hell_ was he going on about? What _psycho_ would come up with a tradition like _that_?! It was completely _nuts_!!

      Somehow managing to regain his voice, he asked, "What tradition? What's so great about today?"

      Now it was the other's turn to stare. "Dude- are you alright? I mean, come on- how could _you_ forget that it's your own birthday?!"

      "It….. is?" the boy marveled, going over the days. "Huh. I guess all that extra training you put me through yesterday made me too tired to remember…"

      "Well, whatever it is, get dressed and meet me downstairs- there's something I need to show you…"

      Takao nodded mutely, scrounging around for a clean t-shirt and jeans.

            "No, no, no! Your _gi_, dude! Your _GI_!!"

            The now 14-year-old boy glowered, tossing his normal clothes into a random corner. "Well, why didn't you _say so_ in the _first place_?!"

            Yet he received no answer, as his grandpa had already left the room. Sighing irritably, he hunted for the usual white top and dark pants he wore when practicing kendo. Grumbling to himself as he found them, he realized that his 2-toed socks were nowhere to be seen.

            //Ah well- I doubt he'll mind me going barefoot anyway…//

            Quickly donning the martial arts gear, he grabbed a hair-band and tied back his shoulder-length locks. He frowned as he noted that such a thing was probably 'against tradition' or some what-not, he concealed the band with a simple white ribbon so it looked like the _ribbon_ was holding it in the loose ponytail- just like old samurai… Those with long hair, anyway.

            Yawning once more, he made his way downstairs and entered the dojo. His grandfather was there waiting for him, wearing what looked to be a ceremonial gi of his own. He sat with a rigid stance that showed he was completely attentive, and, a bit  intimidated by the joking old man's seriousness, Takao did the same- sitting opposite him. Kinomiya Oji-san nodded slightly in approval, then motioned to the sword placed on the stand beside them.

            "This, Takao, is the Masamune- a legendary sword that has been in our family for generations. The myth of Masamune is that it is katsujinken, the sword that brings life. Mind you, it can't raise the dead or anything, but it _will_ help you if you're ever in a position where you are trying to _save_ someone's life- be it another's, or your own."

            The teen nodded, just barely concealing his wonder. He'd only been allowed to see the sword once or twice, and had _never_ been allowed to handle it. It seemed like it was glowing a mysterious blue, and he longed to run his hand along the engravings- as if it wanted him to touch it. Drawing himself out of his reverie, he turned his eyes to his grandpa, his gaze issuing a silent question: ­_what did this have to do with him_?

            "As you know, today is your 14th birthday. Being the only heir to the family name, it is your birthright that on the coming of your 14th year, you are to come into an inheritance of sorts. Now it is time for you to _receive_ that inheritance…"

            The elder Kinomiya carefully lifted the blade from its pedestal, laying it before his grandson who stared at him curiously. Settling his hands back in his lap, the wizened man smiled.

            "Masamune is _yours_ now- and you'd _better_ take good care of it!"

            Takao nodded dumbly, shocked by the weapon that he could now call his own. He just couldn't believe it! Something _this important_ had been placed in his care! He looked up, his eyes shining brightly.

            "Arigato, Ji-chan… I promise I'll treasure it!"

            The senior just smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

K: Well, there's chapter 2! ^_^ Sorry if Takao seems a bit OOC, but he's had to focus on training all his life instead of being distracted by beyblades…. Actually, I probably won't even _have_ blades in my fic, except for mentioning them once or twice! ^^; (Dun worry- I assure you, the plot with the swords will more than make up for it! They're just _full_ of surprises! ^_~)

I'm not quite sure when I'll be writing chapter 3…. After all, I have to read my new book! ^_^ *grins* I just LOVE horror stories! It's so fun freaking myself out! XD (yeah, yeah… I'm weird, I know. XP) *sighs* It's simply _amazing_ what you can find in Raley's if you actually look at the magazines/book isle… XP *shakes head* In any case, I'll try to finish it sometime around 2-3 days, k? Might be sooner, depending on what I feel like doing that day…

Well, gotta jet! ^^; I stayed up all night writing this again, so I should probably get to bed if I actually want to wake up before 7 P.M…. Hope you all R&R! ^_~ Ja ne!


	3. Fankurabu

K: Well, I _was_ going to wait until I got more reviews for the last chapter, but I figured, since the Tyka won't come for quite some time, you deserve the right to read chapter 3. ^_~ My book can wait, for now… Besides, after writing an outline of every chapter, I find it's a lot easier to write the chapters, so I dun mind updating. ^_^

Oh- and in case you were a bit confused about the last chapter where Takao received the Masamune, it says that because they both still think it's Masamune and not Murasame. Sorry if it seemed erroneous! ^^;

Well, on with the fic! ^_~

**Disclaimer:** Just replace the names and it's mine. Unfortunately, I didn't, so there goes that idea…

**Dedications:**

- Darkspider (*huggles Tala plushie* ^_^ ARIGATO!! Now all I need is a Takao and a Kai and I'll have a yaoi triangle set! ^_~)

- Kiina (Gyaa~! Fine, fine! You're weird- I'm not! Take it!! *shoves all rights of weirdness in your face* Ha! I thought of a NEW title for myself! I'm STRANGE!! XDDDDDD BWA HA HA HA HA!!! [In all actuality, it's the Starbucks ice cream and techno music that made me do that and the above. ALL HAIL ZION FROM THE MATRIX RELOADED SOUNDTRACK!! XDDDD] And btw- no, you didn't find me. I used my awesome precog skills to find out your plan and planted a fake address for you to find. XPPPP FEAR THE PRECOGNATIVENESS!!!)

- PinkDevil (You're welcome! ^_^ Yeah, Takao _is_ really hot-looking in his gi…. [Dun tell Kai I said that!] He looks even better when it's 2002 vers. Takao… *droolz*)

- Anime the Fallen Angel (*scowls at Chibi Kai* You do because I say so. Deal. XP You'll find out why later…. *turns to Anime* I'm glad you like it! ^_^ Kai won't appear for some time, though… Not until chapter 6 or something… *checks outline* Yeah- chapter 6. Hang in there! ^^;)

- Weeping Angel (^_^ I'm glad you like it! I was afraid everyone would overlook this fic just because it isn't centered around actual beyblades… ^^; Like I said- the swords were accidentally switched, but my reasons will reveal themselves later on. ^_~ You're welcome for the dedication, as well as this one, and here's that continuation you ordered! ^_^)

- Ran (Well, it's actually pretty obvious in his actions during this chapter… At least, that's what _I_ think… *nod nod* It doesn't really _do_ anything to him, but he's a bit more aggressive than normal. He also mentions something about the affect he has after touching it, which you'll read in the text below. That's the Murasame's energy tainting his purity…. For everything else about it, you'll just have to see, ne? ^_~ Especially his attitude when he's fighting this chapter…)

- Jyun (Yep! A test of their worthiness! ^0^ LOL!)

- Bloody Mary (I agree- it _is_ the most sensible, isn't it? Though I bet others would disagree… ^^;)

- ChibiKai (Yeah- the storyline's 100% original! ^_^ I wouldn't _dream_ of plagiarizing like that… It's not right to just use someone else's plotline, or even that of a well-known book! [Well, a book's okei, I guess… So long as the author's words and at least a _few_ occurrences are original…])

Mujaki na Youkai Rune III: Fan-Kurabu 

**Fanclub**

            //Ichi… Ni…. San… Shi… Go… Roku… Shichi…. Hatchi… Ku… Jy- KUSO!//

            Takao pouted- he'd been _so close_ that time! But _nooooo_, he just _had_ to screw up the final move…. Dammit…

            //Saa~ at least I didn't cut myself… This sword is _ancient_! Who _knows_ what kind of diseases it has on it!//

            As much as he cherished the blade, he always, _always_ washed his hands after touching it. It was as if coming into contact with it contaminated his hands or something- after practice, his hands would always feel _dirty_ somehow- even though he often wore fingerless gloves to keep his hands from getting calloused. It was strange, but he never really thought anything of it. He simply made washing his hands afterwards a ritual, and left it at that.

            Wiping the sweat from his brow, he sheathed the Masamune at his hip and grabbed the water bottle from its place at the base of a nearby tree. His grandpa had insisted he train outdoors under the pretense that practicing under the hot sun would toughen him up and help build his endurance, and so- here he was. Open spaces were fairly hard to come by nowadays, since more and more buildings cropped up everywhere, and thus, he'd opted to train in the park halfway between his house and the grocery store. The bluenette had managed to find a rather secluded area near the small man-made lake, and there he placed his bag near the single Willow tree as he practiced alone in the lush grass.

            Basically, he'd get there around 8 or 9 in the morning, when no one was there yet, so he could be guaranteed the spot. He'd train for a few hours, break for lunch at 1 P.M., then resume his training until 4 P.M., when he'd pack up and leave for home. Afterward, he was free to do whatever he wanted, since it was a Sunday and he had no school. 

On schooldays, he'd wake up, go to school, then come home in the afternoon and train for an hour or 2 either here or back in the dojo, depending if he was able to use this training spot or not. Afterwards, he'd do his homework, have dinner, shower, then go to sleep in preparation to face the same thing the next day. It got boring after a while, but that was life. He forced himself to live with it and made things interesting by coming up with different moves during his training sessions. He had to admit- having his own signature moves _was_ kind of cool…

            Taking a swig of the clear liquid, he allowed his heart rate to return to normal. Training was healthy and all, but being stuck in the sweltering heat was _murder_! Not only was he fairly certain he'd sweat off at _least_ 5 pounds in the last hour, but it made him thirsty as hell, too! Still, it was best not to piss off his grandpa- who _knows_ what the old man would do!

            //He woke me up by attacking me with a fricking _sword_ on my _birthday_ for God's sake!!// he thought to himself, frowning at the terrifying memory. //I nearly pissed my fricking _pants_!! Crazy-ass Ji-chan….//

            Banishing the thought, he took another sip and sighed, getting up from where he sat at the base of the tree. He drew his katana, raising it in a slow arc and marveling at how light it felt in his hand. Grinning, he used the momentum of the arc to bring the blade down in a swift diagonal slash, reveling in the sound it made as it cut through the air. All of a sudden, there was a light rustling sound in front of him, and he blinked as a section of vine-like branches fell to the ground.

            "Whoops. I guess I should watch where I swing… Hope the park caretakers don't notice…" Takao muttered, reddening in embarrassment.

            Too bad his sword had left a sizeable and quite _obvious_ gap in the curtain of Willow branches.

            //Shit.//

            He quickly decided to resume his training out of safe range of the branches, and if anyone asked about the severed limbs, he'd lie like hell. Dashing out and immediately beginning the complex kata he'd been doing earlier, he found he was too nervous to completely concentrate, and his moves were stiff and rigid, like a machine. Stopping, he tried to calm himself so the kata would flow perfectly, only to freeze up as a voice called out behind him.

            "Ano… Sumimasen…?" (um, excuse me…?)

            The bluenette leapt 5 feet in the air. "GYAA!! I DIDN'T DO IIIIIIIIIIT!!!!"

            The person blinked, as did his blonde companion. "Ano sa… Didn't do what?"

            Takao whirled around, inwardly sighing in relief that they weren't park rangers. "Um… N- nandemonai yo…" (N-nothing..) he sweatdropped, eyeing the gap in the branches, then changed the subject. "Ano.. Can I….help you?"

            The rather short brunette nodded, adjusting his glasses. "Actually, we were just admiring your form. You're very talented…"

            The swordsman grinned, his gigantic ego surfacing. "Aa~ I guess so… I mean, I _have_ been practicing for a while now…"

            The blonde piped up, excitement sparkling in his brilliant blue eyes, "Honto na no?! Sugoi! Totemo kakkoii desu! Ne, ne- how old are you, anyway?" (Really?! Amazing! Really cool!)

            The bluenette allowed a small smirk. "I'm 14. Just turned a few months ago…"

            He was rewarded with another enthusiastic gasp. "Sugoi! Only 14?! Demo, you're so _good_!!"

            Takao gave a light chuckle. "Yeah, well…"

            That's when the brunette was struck with an idea. "Hey- would you mind showing us a few moves? I'd really like to record it with my laptop…"

            The blue-haired teen just grinned, the praise going straight to his head. "Sure! I guess I could give it a try…"

            "Great! Chotto, kudasai…" (Hang on a sec, please) he stated, flipping open the portable computer and typing wildly, bringing up the webcam program.

            He handed the small device to his companion, plugging it in as the blonde framed it up so that Takao's image showed up on the screen in all his glory. Smiling, the bespectacled boy gave him the thumbs-up, signaling for him to begin. Quickly running through his known katas, he decided to go with one he could easily do half-asleep.

            //Ichi… Ni… San… Ni…Roku… San… Shi… crescent… Roku… Shichi… Ichi…// he echoed in his mind, flowing along with the count.

            From the view of his spectators, it seemed as if he were dancing. Every step was precise and graceful, to the point where it looked as if he flowed like water from one move to the next. Once finished, he came to a halt before them, sheathing his sword in the traditional way- raking the back across the top of the sheath before sliding it in place. He bowed elegantly, his gloved hands flat against each other as if praying. Stopping the recording, the 2 boys burst into applause, though the blonde was careful not to smash the webcam.

            "Simply amazing! Did you come up with that yourself, or did someone teach it to you?" the brunette questioned, and Takao managed a modest blush.

            "Domo… Ano... That was called 'Shichi no Tsurugi'. My Ji-chan taught it to me…" (Thanks. Um... That was called 'Seven Swords'.) Grinning, he added, "If you want, I could show you some moves I came up with myself…"

            The other boys were star-struck. "HONTO NA NO?! KAKKOII!!" (REALLY?! COOL!!)

            Takao sweatdropped a bit at their enthusiasm, but smiled confidently nonetheless. It wasn't every day he gained an admirer, let alone _2_. Settling in a loose stance, he decided to give them a big show- something that would blow them away. He'd never shown anyone his special techniques, and now, he'd piece them together in one spectacular kata. Focusing on the list of moves he'd come up with, he ducked his head when they gave the signal to start.

            San. Ni. Ichi. GO!

            In one swift motion, he drew his sword while lifting his head. Imagining there was an invisible opponent to the left, he tensed and leapt from his position, swinging in a diagonal upward arc reaching from his right leg to his left shoulder. In midair, he whirled around to his right, disabling the invisible attacker coming from behind. Continuing the rest of the spin, he landed with a sharp downward slash right down the middle.

            //Raging Pheonix!//

            Pretending to be surrounded by enemies, he swirled around as he rose, slicing the opponents at an angle until he returned to his full height. He then circled around the other way, cutting any who remained. The loose cotton sleeves of his gi billowed in the wind, emitting a startling whoosh as if the air was rising in a miniature tornado.

            //Whirling Dragon!//

            His eyes darted to the right, as if an attacker were rushing at him. Ducking low and exposing the sharp edge of his blade like a razor edge along his back, protecting his exposed spine and causing the attacker to leap over him instead of attempting to hit him from above.

            //Crouching Tortoise!//

            Rising from his defensive position, he drew the katana in an upward arc just as before, then proceeded to rain blows upon the opponent's back. His movements were incredibly fast, and with the sun glinting off the metal, all you could see was a brilliant silver blur as he unleashed a flurry of cuts in a matter of seconds.

            //Slashing Tiger!//

            Glancing around as if checking for any other threat, he settled back in a loose stance and drew the back of his sword along the rim once more and sheathed it. He bowed again, in respect for his now-dead 'opponents', then looked up at the amazed faces of his 2-man audience. There was a moment of silence, but when Takao cleared his throat, the brunette was startled out of his reverie and shut off the recording system.

            As soon as he clicked the button, the blonde darted forward, clasping the sword-wielding teen's hands in his own. "WAI! That was SOOOO COOOOOL!!! Teach me, onegai!!" (Teach me, _PLEASE_!!)

            This time, the blue-haired boy couldn't _help_ but sweatdrop. "T- teach you?! D- date…." (B-but…)

            The bespectacled chibi came to his rescue by exclaiming, "Max!! Don't burden him like that!!" He grinned, adjusting his glasses. "Besides, if _you're_ learning, I want to, too!"

            Takao just sweatdropped further and sighed, muttering, "Yare, yare…." (sheesh/really/jeez…/goodness gracious)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Later)

            "Naa~ watch my stuff for me, okei? I'm gonna go get something to drink…"

            Takao received 2 incoherent mumbles in reply, as his self-proclaimed fanclub was currently entranced by today's footage for what had to be the fifteenth time in the past hour. Shrugging to himself, he tossed his white top into his bag, carefully propping the Masamune up against the bench the 2 sat on. Grabbing his wallet, he headed toward the park's snack shack, tugging at his sweat-soaked cotton undershirt.

            Too engrossed in the short demonstrative video, Max and Kyojyu failed to notice a pair of sharp eyes trained on the ancient blade beside them. Icy blue eyes stole a quick glance at the guardians of his prey, and after finding them to be occupied, a lithe hand reached out to grasp the hilt of the sword. As soon as he touched it, he winced, hissing in pain. His hand felt like it was on fire, filling his body with a burning sensation starting from his fingertips. Unable to endure the excruciating pain, the thief released his prize, retracting his hand back through the bush he was hiding in.

            Gazing down at his hand, the red-headed boy frowned as he found his hand was red and bloody, scorch marks racing across his palm. Nodding to himself, he clenched his injured hand, ignoring the sharp stinging sensation it caused. Yes, this was the sword his superior seeks… Slipping from his hiding place, he raced off toward a large, looming building in the distance- Biovolt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

K: Yep- a random appearance from Tala… Pretty much his only _planned_ scene in the entire fic… ^^; Ignore Voltaire's red-haired bishonen lackey… yeah…. Actually, I could've had it be a number of different people, but I decided on Tala, cuz' he's my favorite Bakuten Shoot Badboy. ^_~

Anyhoo, did you guys see what I was chatting to Ran about earlier? How the Murasame is affecting pure little Takao? If not, here are the 3 points in there. 1 was incredibly obvious, since he actually mentioned it in the text, but the other 2 are a bit hard to spot. ^_~

1) The sword has made Takao more aggressive, since he actually _acts_ like a 'typical' cussing teen, and also, in all his original moves, only one was defensive- the other 3 were all _offensive_.

2) He said that every time he touches the sword, it makes his hands feel 'dirty'. This is because the sword's natural bloodlust is trying to taint his purity, so he feels like he needs to cleanse himself.

3) During his second kata, instead of simply rendering his invisible opponents unconscious, he killed them outright. This is the sword trying to compensate for the lack of man-slaying like it wants to. Since it can't actually kill anyone on its own, it's subconsciously prepping Takao to slaughter his opponents when in such a situation- training him so that he will eventually satisfy its bloodlust.

Heh heh… That last one was pretty sneaky, wasn't it? XP I think I'm getting better at this 'underlying themes' thing… Probably because I actually planned ahead and have a plot for this one…. ^^;

Well, time to post this! I hope you guys enjoyed it! ^_^ Who knew this chapter would turn out so long? I only wrote 2 fricking notes down about what I wanted to happen! ^^; Aa~ I guess I got carried away… Not that that's a bad thing… ^_~

Don't forget to R&R! I can't wait to hear what you guys think of this! ^_^ Ja ne!


	4. Kon Rei

K: Well, you guys _did_ ask when I was posting chapter 4, and since there's nothing else to do at the moment… (Besides listening to Weird Al, which I'm doing as well) Here I am. Besides, I doubt you guys mind much, right? ^_~ *checks the folder in her e-mail marked 'fic reviews' and checks the folder properties* O_O; HOLY SHIT!!!! *in a shocked stupor* I have exactly 950 reviews right now…. In just 6 ½ months of having this account…. O_O; WOW. That's all I have to say- WOW. That, and thanks. ^_^; Guess this chapter's there as a celebration, ne? Enjoy! *snickers as the Furby Prank Call comes on* This guy's a genius…

**Disclaimer:** If I owned them, would my wallet be completely empty right now? I thought not…

**Dedications:**

- Darkspider (*Rei walks up* You called? ^_~ K: *grins* Well you _did_ ask… I was planning for him to appear in this chapter, too! *laughs*)

- Anime the Fallen Angel (*dumps a bucket of ice water on your head to wake you* Aw, come on! Even _you_ can wait a day or 2, ne? ^_~ Domo for the compliment about the underlying themes- I thought that was rather clever myself! *laughs* As for Kai being more pure, _maybe_. You'll just have to find out… ^_~ In Tala's case, I merely said that it was his only _planned_ scene. He could very well end up playing a large role… XP)

- Asa-chan (They _should_ be! I designed them to be based off their bit beasts! XP [And believe me- that isn't fun when all you have to work with is an arnise stick…])

- Jewel (Glad you like it! ^_^ Yes, let's all have a moment of silence for those poor branches… *kneels and bows before the tree*)

- Ran (Aa~ it seems so, doesn't it? Demo, demo- there's more to this than meets the eye! ^_~ As for what Biovolt wants w/Takao's sword, you'll just have to wait for chapter 6! ^_^)

- PinkDevil (Make that _4_ in 3 days, thank you! ^_~ *gasps and glomps you* Yes!! You're the _only one_ who noticed the connection!! *lets go and hands you a Tyka gummy sucker [a sucker made out of gummy bear stuff decorated with frosting to look like the characters] as a prize* ^_^ You _are_ paying attention! You just didn't notice! *giggles*)

- Sapphire of Light (*laughs* Nah- he's not as bad as you think… In fact, it just helps him later on with the Tyka aspect of the story... ^_~)

Mujaki na Youkai Rune IV: Kon Rei 

**Rei Kon**

            "Irrashaimase!" (Welcome to the store!) Max called, looking up from the beyblade he was working on as he heard the jingle of the shop door. "Ah! Takao-kun! What are you doing here?"

            The bluenette grinned, sidling up to the counter and leaning against it. "Hey there, Max! What's up?"

            The blonde blinked and held up the toy for the other to see. "I'm trying to fix this… Tou-sama sells these, but every once in a while a customer comes in asking for repairs- that's where I come in. Kyojyu-kun helps out too, using his laptop to collect data and come up with new ways to make them stronger, faster, and whatever else the client wants…"

            Takao stared at the trinket, nodding dumbly. "Yeah, I understand _that_, but… What _is_ it?"

            Max gasped slightly in surprise. "Eh?! You mean you _don't know_?! I thought _everyone_ knew what a beyblade was!"

            The keeper of the Masamune scowled and retorted, "Well _excuse me_ if Ji-chan made me train so hard I never got a chance to see one…"

            The blonde gave him an apologetic look, and was about to reply, but Kyojyu chose that time to walk in, typing quickly with his right hand while holding his laptop in his left.

            "Naa~ Max, do you know where your dad put the attack ri-" He stopped, looking up and spotting the young Kinomiya. "Oh! Hi, Takao! What brings you here?"

            Grateful for the distraction, the blue-clad blonde echoed the question, and Takao had no choice but to change the subject and answer.

            "I dropped by to see if you guys wanted to come meet my new neighbor… He's pretty nice, and I'm sure you'll like him. He came all the way from China!"

            The brunette and blonde shared a look. "We'd really like to, Takao, demo…."

            Kyojyu finished for his companion. "We're completely swamped here. Maybe later?"

            Takao pouted slightly, but nodded in understanding. "I gotcha… Don't work yourselves to death, okei? Ja!"

            With that, he left, heading home. He hadn't been able to train today, like he usually would, since he and his grandpa had been helping the new neighbors get settled. Don't get him wrong- he was grateful for the break, but now that they were finished, he found himself bored to tears!

            //Maybe I'll go see what Rei's up to… I bet he's just as bored as I am! After all, we _did_ manage to unpack all his stuff and get his room in order….//

            Brightening at the thought, he quickened his pace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(10 minutes later)

            "Konnichiwa! Is anybody here? _Hello_?!" the bluenette called, then frowned. "Where is everyone?"

            "Kinomiya-kun, is that you?"

            Takao whirled around, searching for whoever had called him. "Rei-kun? Where are you?"

            "Over here!" the other shouted, his voice coming from what sounded like the back yard.

            The heir to the Kinomiya name blinked, but entered the grassy area, smirking slightly when he found the Chinese boy settled in a horse stance. "Training, are we?"

            The raven-haired boy glanced up in surprise. "Eh?! You recognize my stance?"

            Takao smiled, walking over and sitting on a nearby stump where an Asian Pear tree had once been. "Kinda… My family has developed their own style of swordplay for years…" He then gestured to the other. "What about you? Do _you_ know how to use weapons?"

            Sliding out of his stance, the fanged boy turned to him. "I know a few… Care to spar? I'm pretty familiar with kendo, myself…"

            The bluenette grinned at the challenge. "You sure you're up for it? I mean, I've focused on only the sword, while you've been off learning about other things…"

            Fangs glinted as Rei's lips parted slightly in a smirk. "I'm sure I'll manage…"

            "Alright, then! Don't say I didn't warn you…"

            The foreign boy walked over to a small metal rack of equipment he'd rolled out earlier, pulling out some sparring gear and 2 bokutou. He tossed one of the wooden swords to his zealous companion, then walked over and handed him the leg and chest protectors. When both were finished, they stood across from each other, both settled in their own familiar stances.

            They stared each other down, silently taunting the other to make the first move. After a full minute, Takao cracked. He lunged at the other boy, coming at him with lightning-fast slashes. Rei parried the blows and retaliated with an upward crescent. The other dodged nimbly, dancing out of the way before coming back with a vengeance.

            Block-parry-thrust. Counter-block-dodge. Roll-jump-slash. Block-slash-parry. A dance of death, both beautiful and dangerous…neither side backing down. One would charge while the other would counter- a never-ending clash of offense and defense. Both sides seemed evenly matched, but if you looked closely, you could see that Takao was holding back.

            Finally, they came to a deadlock- trying to overpower each other. That's when Rei brought it to attention.

            "Stop holding back."

            "Eh? What do you mean?"

            "Stop it. By holding back- you're insulting my skill. This isn't your true power, and you and I both know it, so cut the crap, Kinomiya."

            They broke apart, and to the bluenette's surprise, Rei made the first move. So, he wanted him to fight for real, did he? Alright, then… He feinted to the left, causing Rei to pull off in that direction, then darted to the right instead, catching the boy off guard. He then pointed his blade to the other's unguarded throat.

            It was extremely simple, but completely effective. Rei had been expecting something spectacular and complex, and had forgotten all about the basics in swordplay- a grave mistake. Realizing his carelessness, the Chinese boy cursed and lowered his bokuten, admitting his defeat. Takao smiled reassuringly, then stepped back, lowering his own sword and bowing at his sparring partner. 

Rei bowed respectively in return and offered to put the equipment away again. The bluenette shook his head, stripping off the padding and walking over to the cart himself. The raven-haired boy raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and did the same. Once everything was in its place, he wheeled the cart into a small shed tucked away in a corner of the yard, Takao trailing after him.

            "Ne- Kinomiya-kun? Why doesn't your family open a school? I mean, you _do_ have your own dojo on the side of your house right? Dakara…" (Therefore…)

            Takao frowned in thought, contemplating how to phrase his answer. "Well… Our form is more like a family thing. Techniques are passed down from generation to generation, along with the family sword, Masamune…"

            Rei suddenly went rigid, his eyes narrowed. "Masamune? _The_ Masamune?"

            "You've heard of it? Isn't it a Japanese legend, though?"

            Golden eyes went from narrowed to wide in disbelief. "You mean you really have it?! Of _course_ I've heard of it! People all over the world who are actually _serious_ about swordplay know about it!!"

            Now it was Takao's turn to be surprised. "H-honto ni?! All over the _world_?! Sugei…." (R-really?! Wow…)

            Noting that his companion hadn't said a word in the past few seconds, he blinked and glanced at him, finding a serious expression on his face.

            "Na- nani?" (W-what?)

            "Show me. Please- I _have_ to see it. I have to see if it really exists…"

            A bit put off by the intense look directed at him, the bluenette nodded slowly and gulped. "H- hai…. Follow me…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

K: Rei!!! ^_^ Sorry if he seems a bit OOC, but that's how I pictured he would act in that scenario… Also, sorry I was a bit stingy with the details of the sparring match- I was being lazy, and I myself have never actually learned any sword techniques, so it would've been too hard. ^^; (Can't do that until Red belt, I think…. I'm only Purple….) I hope you managed to follow what I was saying… ;

Anyway, next chapter, Takao lets Rei see what he _thinks_ is the Masamune, but will the Chinese boy be able to tell otherwise? You'll just have to find out! ^_~ And no- I'm not going to write up chapter 5 today just so you can find out. I've already done 2 today, so you'll just have to sit like good little fic-otakus and wait until tomorrow, k?

*sighs and stretches* Well, I'd better get ready for karate… UU; Haven't gone in a week…. I am soooo dead… --; *runs off to go warm up so she doesn't kill herself during class*


	5. Hakken

K: Konnichiwa! Well, I bet you've all been trembling in anticipation and whatnot in wait for this next chapter! (oh, gee… _that's_ modest… --; I've turned into Takao… XP) Anyhoo, here it is! Chapter 5!! ^_^ (Gomen it took so long to post! I was finishing my book… It's pretty good, but the guy had 3 typos… ; I have no idea how and why I kept track of that…)

**Disclaimer:**  Just because I pretty much get as much sleep as the animators doesn't mean I own it like they do.

**Dedications:**

- Anime the Fallen Angel (*smiles and blushes* Aa~ I'm glad you liked the fighting part! *toothy grin* Just one more chapter till Kai comes! ^_~)

- Asa-chan (Your sugar-high fic was hilarious! ^_^ Here's the update, just like you wanted!)

- PinkDevil (*glomps 2002 Max plushie* Arigato! *places it next to the 01 vers. plushie Darkspider gave her* ^_^ As for little Harry-chan, I think he's already been corrupted… *grins and points to her fic 'Double Take'* I don't mind Rei/Takao all that much- it's actually my 3rd fave, so go for it, girl! ^_~ BTW, which dojo did you go to before it closed? [also, I know it's spelled 'okay', but I always use 'okei', since that's how the hiragana/katakana would be spelled in Japanese. ^_~])

- Ran (No one else remembered because… ^_~ I'm not telling! You'll just have to read this chapter! XP)

- Virginia Choir (Actually… *sweatdrops* I've never held a bokken in my life! *laughs* That's why I said I had to use an arnise stick… *smiles* I _do_ take karate, though, so that's how I managed to write those scenes. Demo, demo- even then, it's all made up off the top of my head! ^_^; I just think of useable moves and the relative range of motion they have when they fight, then leave the rest up to imagination…)

- Bloody Mary (And it'll get even _more_ interesting as time goes on! ^_~ Especially when we reach chapters 8 and 9…. _Those ones_ are a _real_ trip… *laughs*)

- ChibiKai (*blushes* Nice to know you have so much confidence in me… ^_^ Glad you like it! Here's the next chappie!)

- Sapphire of Light (Maaaaaaaybe… XP You'll just have to read the chappie! ^_~)

- Darkspider (Ah-ah! Hiwatari come in _next_ chapter- Rune 6. ^_~ I'm sure you can wait for just a bit longer, ne? *laughs and cuddles Wolborg plushie* Domo for Wolborg-chan! ^_^ *places it on the shelf next to Tala, Draciel, the Tyka kissin' plushie, and her 2 Max plushies* Heh heh… I've got quite a collection, now! There's barely enough room for the Yami Yuugi and Sora plushies I made! *laughs again* Good thing my Naruto, Sasuke, and Shindo Hikaru ones are all chibi keychains! ^_^; As for some Talakao, I'll see what I can do… ^_~ [I was actually thinking of putting some in myself, but it might have to wait and be in a sequel or something…])

- Rumi-chan (*huggles Kai and Takao plushies* ARIGATO!! ^_^ *puts plushies next to her Tala one* Bwa ha ha ha ha ha!!! I shall act out yaoi dramas with them later… XP)

- Weeping Angel (How would that ruin it? *blink blink* Ah well, I have it all planned out anyways, and the way I wrote it, their finding out wouldn't bother anything. *shrugs* But that's just me… You're welcome for the dedication. All who review the past chapter get one so I can answer their questions and respond to their comments… ^_^; Still, you're all special to me, since you'd actually take the time to come and read stuff by lil' ol' me. ^_^ Thanks.)

- Mieco (*laughs* Yeah, it is! Especially when you have to go back and fix your name on your fics whenever you do! XP On my first account, I had so many names, people were wondering why the hell I was posting "other people's" work! *laughs again*)

- Jyun (Kai's coming in Rune 6. Don't you just adore the fanclub thing?! ^_^ It's so cute!)

AND ESPECIALLY

- Kuro (Thank you!! I got the chappies, and am in the middle of re-reading them to get a feel for the story. Hopefully, I'll be able to figure out where I wanna go with it by doing so… ^^; Thanks SOOO MUCH for letting me do this! ^_^ *hands you a full set of Blade Breakers, Demolition Boys, White Tigers, Majestics, and All Stars team plushies, complete with all their bit beast plushie counterparts*)

Mujaki na Youkai Rune V: Hakken 

**Discovery**

            ~Show me…~

            The words echoed in Takao's head, and he couldn't help but sneak a glance at the boy following diligently after him. That expression was still on his face… How could anyone be so _serious_? Certainly, it was a beautiful and well-made blade, but it was still just a sword, right? Even if it _was_ ancient enough to have myths surrounding its name….

            He inwardly sighed. //I just don't get what's so great about it… Don't get me wrong- I love that sword, but he's acting like he's going to church or something, the way he's so reserved…//

            Turning his gaze ahead once more, he sweatdropped. //Honestly, it _really_ creeps me out….//

            Shaking his head and leading his companion into the family dojo, he gestured to the ancient weapon sitting on its pedestal. Rei's eyes widened, and he locked eyes with the bluenette, silently asking permission to handle it. Takao nodded, and the Chinese boy rushed forward, coming to a halt before the artifact of Japanese history. In awe of it, he reached down to pick it up carefully, only to quickly drop it in surprise.

            The swordsman gasped and darted to it, catching it before it clattered to the floor. Sighing in relief, he shot a quizzical look at the now deathly pale boy.

            "What's up, Rei? Why'd you go and freak out like that?" he asked, frowning in confusion.

            The other simply stared at the katana in his neighbor's hands, his eyes narrowed. Once Takao spoke, he looked up at him, his eyes hard. "You can bear to touch it?"

            The bluenette's brows furrowed. "Yeah…. Why wouldn't I? It's just a sword…"

            "Not that one. Can't you feel it? That sword is blood-thirsty; it's meant to kill…" Rei glared down at the katana, sensing the waves of anger and hate rolling off it. "I don't know who told you it was the Masamune, but it was a lie. The serene Masamune would _never_ feel _anything_ like that…"

            Takao snorted, gripping his heirloom tightly and tearing his gaze from the boy before him. "I don't know what you're talking about… We'd know if it wasn't Masamune…"

            "Maybe so… But I assure you- that blade isn't what you think it is."

            With that, the raven-haired foreigner left the room, only stopping to cast a worried look over his shoulder before returning to his own home. The bluenette remained, however, hugging the malevolent sword to his chest and wondering why his new friend would say such things.

            Still, despite his slight anger toward him for his accusations, he couldn't help but wonder if what he said was true…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The door jingled, signaling that someone had entered the store. Kyojyu looked up from where he was modifying a customer's attack ring, a bit surprised to find Takao. It was rather late in the day, and the store would be closing soon, so why would the swordsman come? He was usually at home getting ready for bed by now…

            "Takao-sempai, what brings you here?" he questioned, setting down the disassembled beyblade so he could focus on the conversation instead.

            The boy seemed uneasy about something, and unconsciously hugged a tightly wrapped package in his arms. It was long and skinny, and, knowing Takao, it could only be one thing. But why on Earth would he bring it here? And wrapped up like that, to boot…?

            "Ano… Kyojyu-kun… Can I… ask you a favor?"

            His voice was shaky- uncertain. Quite unlike the confident, loud-mouthed Kinomiya he knew… Yes- something was _definitely _troubling him.

            "Of course, so long as I can help… What is it?"

            He embraced the package tighter, as if he never wanted to part with it. He noticed his actions, however, and withdrew from it, placing it on the table and stepping back a bit. His eyes cast a longing glance over it for a moment before ripping themselves away and catching the brunette's gaze.

            "I… I need you to analyze this for me… See if you can date it… It's supposed to be from around the Thirteenth Century, but I just want to make sure…"

            "Why?"

            Maroon eyes hardened, and the young Professor K. couldn't help but gulp in fear of his idol.

            "I have to know if this sword is really what he says it is…"

            Kyojyu frowned. "What who says?"

            But his words fell upon deaf ears- Takao was already gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(I was tempted to just leave it there, but after waiting so long, I think you deserve this… ^_~)

            Takao, Rei, and Max sat in the Kinomiya dojo, waiting for Kyojyu to announce his findings. The room was deathly silent, and Max couldn't help but wonder at the tension in the air. They were all friends, right? Then why did he feel as if his idol and the cute 'new guy' would rip each other apart any minute now?

            Sighing inwardly, he leaned back against the wall, trying to ignore the heated glares passing by as the 2 scowled around him at each other. Why oh why did he have to sit in the middle? Any reason he had before, he thought, was definitely more trouble than it was worth.

            Just as he thought he wouldn't be able to take much more of it, Kyojyu came to the rescue by walking in the door, Takao's sword carefully wrapped and tucked under the crook of his arm while his hands held his open laptop. Takao and Rei immediately stiffened to attention, and, after they had shot him an annoyed look, Max followed suit. The brunette sat across from them, setting the laptop to one side and the katana at the other. Finally, he cleared his throat and stared intently at the 3 before him.

            "Well, I conducted the tests, as Takao-sempai had asked me to, and just now the results have come to my attention…"

            "_And_…?" the bluenette pressed, only to have Rei hush him.

            Kyojyu nodded at the raven-haired boy in thanks, and continued, "I've found the sword to have been crafted in the early Thirteenth Century, just as Kinomiya had predicted."

            Takao breathed a sigh of relief, then shot a smug look over at the Chinese boy, who fumed silently. His moment of triumph was short-lived, however, when Kyojyu opened his mouth to say more.

            "Datte… There was something else I found, as well…"

            The swordsman blinked, then sat back, returning to a more attentive position. What more was there to say? It was as old as Masamune, and crafted in the same style, and that was enough evidence for him.

            Professor K. adjusted his glasses, a serious look on his face. "Blood. Not anything recent, mind you, but so many different kinds that I couldn't possibly discern one person's from another. This katana has been through a _lot_ of savage battles…"

            Rei was all over the situation. "There! You see?! Blood-thirsty!"

            Takao growled. "So what if it's got blood on it?! The Masamune can still be used to kill if it's to save others' lives!!"

            "It's _not_ the Masamune! Why can't you _see_ that?!"

            "It _is_ Masamune! Look at the style! The date it was made! It _all_ fits!!"

            "Then why does it radiate with nothing but anger and hatred?!"

            "What the hell does _that_ have to do with anything?! It's a _sword_!! A _WEAPON_!!"

            Max frowned, looking from one to the other as they hurled insults at each other. It had always pained him to see people he cared about fighting amongst themselves- he'd had enough of that during the last few days before his parents had gotten divorced. To have to sit here and watch his 2 friends at each other's throats was too much.

            "Stop! Stop fighting!! You're _friends_, for Kami's sake!!" he shouted, effectively startling them into silence.

            The 2 boys looked down, ashamed of their behavior, and a lengthy pause reigned while Max calmed down. Kyojyu sent him a sympathetic look, knowing what he'd been going through, and nearly had a heart attack when Rei spoke up.

            "There's only one way to settle this…. Is there a stream or something near here?"

            Though he had been addressing Takao, Max was the first to reply. "I don't think so… There's a lake in the park, though! Would that work?"

            Rei smiled at him in thanks, nodding. "Yeah- I'm pretty sure that'll work. If that thing's what I _think_ it is, we'll be able to tell when we place the edge in the water…"

            The blonde and brunette looked at him quizzically, wondering what on Earth he had planned, but Takao rose, picking up his blade and heading to the door without a word. He slid open the rice-paper frame, glancing over his shoulder at them and raising an eyebrow. Rei caught the question and smiled, getting to his feet and following after him. Kyojyu and Max shared a glance and shrugged, jumping to their feet and running to catch up with them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(At the Park)

            "Are you sure about this, Kon-kun?" Max asked tentatively, still a bit doubtful about how this would solve anything.

            "Of course. If it's really Masamune, the leaves will pass around it and not get cut. If it's just another sword, those near it will get cut and those that aren't will drift by harmlessly." His companions stared at him, wondering how he knew all this, and he blushed slightly. "It's all a part of the legend, that's all… Now, if it's what I _think_ it is, the leaves will do something completely different…."

            He turned to Takao, holding out his hand. "May I?"

            The bluenette gave him a searching look. "Are you sure you want to touch it again? I mean, you _know_ what happened _last_ time…."

            The Chinese boy nodded. "I'm sure. Don't worry- if I drop it, I promise you can kick my ass, okei?"

            The young Kinomiya grinned. "Alright. Hai-"

            Rei took the sword from Takao's outstretched hand, frowning a bit as he tried to ignore the sinister aura. Placing the tip of the blade in the crystal-clear water, he waited for a reaction. A reaction that was almost instantaneous….

            As soon as the cool metal broke the water's surface, all the surrounding leaves made a beeline toward it, as if being pulled in by an attraction of some sort. One by one they sliced themselves in two on the razor edge, until all the leaves within a 5-foot radius were now in pieces.

            Slowly pulling the katana from the water, Rei turned back to Takao, who was staring at it, wide-eyed. He knew what this meant. He knew that Rei had been right.

            "This isn't the Masamune…. It's Murasame…satsujinken…." (It's Murasame, the sword that kills…)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

K: *leans back into her chair, a smile on her face* Well, that was long… To me, at least- I have no idea how it'll look once posted… ; *shakes her head and grins* Well, they know! And better yet- KAI IS COMING!!! *cackles insanely along with all the Kai fangirls who have been asking when the hell he'd show up* Also, there shall be another random appearance of TALA!!! (since we get to see what Voltaire's up to and stuff…. Which is how we meet Kai….)

Anyway, there you have it. Also, for all those who are wondering, _YES_, the whole part about the leaves _IS_ a part of the legend of Masamune and Murasame. All of it so far has been true to the legend. However, the events pertaining to them from chapters 8 and on are completely fictional. ^_^; BUT, we haven't quite gotten there yet, so you'll just have to wait and see what it is I'm talking about. ^_~

I'll try to get the next part out as soon as I can, but I'm not exactly sure when that'll be. ^^; I've started another project (thanks to Kuro… *smiles* She was nice enough to let me finish her discontinued story "Up Where I Belong", so you'll be seeing it on my page soon…), and I also have to think about where to go with my Bakuten Shoot Vampire ficcy. ^_^; (I'm up to chapter 4 and know everyone's specific roles in it, but I'm not quite sure what to do for that chapter…. *frowns in thought*) Thus, I'll be really busy brainstorming for all that. Hopefully, I'll be able to pump out the next chapter of "Sukunai no Komori-Boi" soon, so I can get back to this one. ^_~

Well, gotta go cook dinner! Ja ne!


End file.
